Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA Hall of Famer who was renowned for his shot blocking and defensive prowess, has died from brain cancer, the NBA said in a statement on Monday. He was 58.
Mutombo, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022, was surrounded by his family, the NBA said.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
Mutombo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to the United States and playing college basketball at Georgetown University. Drafted by the Denver Nuggets as the fourth pick in the 1991 draft, the seven-foot, two-inch center played with six NBA teams throughout his 18-year career and was an eight-time NBA All-Star.
In 2015, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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As CBS Sports noted, his 3,289 blocks rank second all-time in NBA history, and he was known for his signature finger wag celebration. In addition to the Nuggets, he played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.
Mutombo is perhaps most remembered for his dominant defensive performance in the 1994 playoffs, when he helped lead the Nuggets to a massive upset over the Seattle Supersonics — the first No. seed to ever beat a No. 1. Mutombo blocked an NBA-record 31 shots in the series and the Sonics head coach acknowledged that the center had psychologically intimated his team.
“He got in our players’ heads at the very beginning and never left,” Seattle coach George Karl said.
Beyond basketball, Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in the Congo in 1997. Its goal is to improve health, education and quality of life in the African country. He also serves on the board of Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
Mutombo spent the latter part of his life as an ambassador for the NBA.
“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa. I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years — with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.”